Document Retention Device with Integral Pillow Box

ABSTRACT

A document retention device includes a first panel and a pillow box blank coupled to the first panel. The first panel is configured to retain a first document on a first medium. The pillow box blank includes a first body portion, a second body portion, at least one top flap, and at least one bottom flap. The pillow box blank is configurable into a pillow box defining an open interior.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application relates to and claims priority from U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application Ser. No. 61/101,725, filed Oct. 1, 2008.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present application relates to the field of containing and carryingdocuments and objects. In particular, it discloses a document retentiondevice that includes an integral pillow box. The pillow box may be usedfor carrying and retaining objects, such as a flash drive.

Document retention devices or products are a well known method fortransporting, containing and presenting printed materials. With theadvancement of digital technologies, information is now also stored onportable media, such as CDs, DVDs and flash drives. Before the presentapplication, there was not provided an easy method for retaining flashdrives or similar size objects within a document retention device. Thepresent application provides an integral pillow box to retain flashdrives, or other similar size objects. The document retention device mayalso comprise at least one pocket for retaining pertinent materials ordocuments on paper.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary document retention devicein accordance with the present application;

FIG. 2 is a close up view of the integral pillow box of the exemplarydocument retention device of the present invention, wherein the upperand lower flaps of the pillow box are open;

FIG. 3 is a top view of an exemplary document retention device inaccordance with the present application demonstrating the integralpillow box in an assembled, expanded position;

FIG. 4 is a top view of an exemplary document retention device inaccordance with the present application showing the pillow box with openflaps;

FIG. 5 is a die line drawing of an exemplary document retention devicein accordance with the present application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring initially to FIG. 1, an exemplary document retention device,here a folder 2, is depicted in an open position. One of skill in theart will recognize that the document retention device in the presentapplication may include, but is not limited to the following: standardfolders, reinforced folders, tab folders, capacity folders, legalfolders, mini-folders, tri-panel folders, file folders, sculpturedpocket folders, report covers, paper wallets, document folders,portfolios, 3-ring binders, 3-ring binders with tabs, 3-ring binderswith page pockets, software boxes, tote boxes, donut type boxes, hotelkey folders, door hangers, CD and DVD holders, photograph holders andphotograph retention devices.

In the exemplary embodiment, folder 2 comprises a left cover 4 and aright cover 6 separated by a folding spine 8. The folder 2 opens andcloses along folding spine 8. The spine may comprise one or more scorelines. For example FIG. 5 demonstrates a spine 8 with three score lines8 a, 8 b and 8 c. The number of score lines may be increased ordecreased depending on the desired capacity of the folder.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4, the folder 2 of the present application alsoincludes at least one pocket 10 for holding and retaining documents. Thefolder further comprises at least one pillow box 12. In one embodiment,the pillow box 12 is integral to the pocket 10. In another embodiment,the pillow box 12 is integral to either the left cover 4 or the rightcover 6. The pillow box 12 may also be integral to other parts of thefolder 2. The number of pockets and pillow boxes that may be used islimited only by the available space on and in the folder 2.

The pillow box 12 includes a main pillow box body 14. The main pillowbox body 14 includes a first portion 16 and a second portion 18separated by a center score line 34. The pillow box 12 also includes twosets of flaps 20, 22 and 24, 26. Flaps 20 and 22 comprise first andsecond bottom flaps, while flaps 24 and 26 comprise first and second topflaps. In one embodiment, at least one of the bottom flaps and at leastone of the top flaps includes a cut out 28, 28′ for ease in opening andclosing the flaps to allow access to the interior of the pillow box 12.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, when the bottom and top flaps of thepillow box 12 are open, the pillow box may be flattened such that whenthe folder is closed along folding spine 8, the folder remainsrelatively flat. As shown in FIG. 3, when one set of either the top orbottom flaps are closed, the pillow box is expanded, providing a hollowinterior. The hollow interior of the pillow box 12 may be used to housea flash drive or other similarly sized objects.

Referring now to FIG. 5, therein is shown the die line for constructingone embodiment of a document retention device in accordance with thepresent application. Again, the exemplary embodiment is a folder 2. FIG.5 demonstrates left cover 4 and right cover 6 as seen from the outsidewhen folded along folding spine 8. Pocket 10 and pillow box 12 will befolded upwardly into the interior of right cover 6 when constructed, inone embodiment, to provide the features of the present application. Asshown in FIG. 5, the folder 2 includes pocket sealing tab 32 forretaining the pocket 10 in place on the interior surface of right cover6. Pillow box 12 also includes a sealing tab 30 for securing theterminal end of the second portion of the pillow box body 18 to aninterior portion of pocket 10. Alternatively, the pillow box may besecured by affixing sealing tab 30 to an interior portion of the firstportion of the pillow box body 16. When the sealing tab 30 is secured,the center score 34 will define an outer edge of the pillow box 12.

As mentioned, pillow box 12 may retain a flash drive (often otherwisereferred to as a jump drive or USB drive). However, the pillow box 12may be used to retain other things that one may desire to keep in afolder, such as promotional items, writing utensils or other items.Additionally, the dimensions shown in FIG. 5 are not limiting. Thefolder shown in the figures is an exemplary document retention device,and a document retention device in accordance with the presentapplication may be of any size. For example, the dimensions shown in thefigures are to accommodate conventional U.S. sized papers. However,European size A4 paper or other sizes of paper may be used and thedimensions of the document retention device may be adjusted accordingly.As a further example, the number of covers or panels may be increased toinclude three or more covers or panels as is known in the industry. Asadditional examples, the document retention device in accordance withthe present application may retain documents in an electronic formatsuch as CDs, DVDs, or other software. Thus, the document retentiondevices contemplated as being within the scope of the presentapplication include CD holders, DVD holders and software boxes.Moreover, document retention devices in accordance with the presentapplication may be mass storage units such as boxes, and thereforeinclude, but are not limited to software boxes, tote boxes, donut typeboxes or other types of boxes well known in the industry.

Likewise, the dimensions of the pillow box 12 may be adjusted andmodified to fit the particular needs of the user. For example, thepillow box may be extended lengthwise to retain writing utensils orother objects having a longer length. Additionally, the pillow box maybe increased in width to hold larger items. Also, the pillow box may beattached with perforations to the document retention device for easyremoval. Perforated, removable pillow boxes are advantageous when usedwith smaller document retention devices such as hotel key folders,mini-folders, paper wallets, door hangers and photo holders. However,the size of the document retention device does not dictate whether aperforation may be used or not. As a further example, a door hanger,which is a die-cut card that retains document information (e.g. a “donot disturb” door hanger) may include a pillow box attached byperforations on the bottom or sides of the hanger.

While there have been described what are believed to be the preferredembodiments of the present application, those skilled in the art willrecognize that other and further changes and modifications may be madethereto without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it isintended to claim all such changes and modifications that fall withinthe true scope of the present application.

1. A document retention device comprising: a first panel configured toretain a first document on a first medium; a pillow box blank coupled tothe first panel, the pillow box blank having a first body portion, asecond body portion, at least one top flap, and at least one bottom flapcoupled together and configurable into a pillow box defining an openinterior.
 2. The document retention device of claim 1, furthercomprising a second panel integral with the first panel such that thedocument retention device is a folder, the folder configured to retain asecond document on a second medium.
 3. The document retention device ofclaim 2, further comprising a third panel integral with the secondpanel, such that the second and third panels define a folder and thefirst and second panels define a pocket within the folder.
 4. Thedocument retention device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality ofpanels integral with the first panel such that the first panel and theplurality of panels form a box.
 5. The document retention device ofclaim 1, wherein the pillow box blank is perforatedly coupled to thefirst panel, such that the pillow box blank is removable from the firstpanel.
 6. The document retention device of claim 1 wherein the firstbody portion is integral with the second body portion and the first bodyportion and the second body portion are separated by a score line. 7.The document retention device of claim 6 wherein the pillow box blankfurther comprises first and second top flaps and first and second bottomflaps, the first and second top flaps being configurable to form a topend of the pillow box and the first and second bottom flaps beingconfigurable to form a bottom end of the pillow box.
 8. The documentretention device of claim 7 wherein the first top flap and the firstbottom flap further comprises a cut-out that is usable as a grip such asto assist a user in assembling or disassembling the pillow box.
 9. Adocument retention device configured for retaining a plurality ofdocuments on diverse media, the document retention device comprising: afirst panel; a second panel integral with the first panel, the first andsecond panels being configured to retain a first document of a firstmedia; and a pillow box coupled to the first panel, the pillow boxhaving integral first and second portions separated by a score line, atleast one top flap coupled to the first portion, and at least one bottomflap coupled to the first portion, the first portion, the secondportion, the at least one top flap, and the at least one bottom flapdefining the pillow box with an open interior configured for retaining asecond document of the first media or a second media.
 10. The documentretention device of claim 9 further comprising a third panel hingedlycoupled to the second panel to define a spine such that the second andthird panels define a folder.
 11. The document retention device of claim10 wherein the first panel and the second panel are coupled together todefine a pocket in the folder.
 12. The document retention device ofclaim 9 wherein the first panel and the second panel define a folder, aninterface of the first panel and the second panel defining a spine, thepillow box being coupled to the first panel at the spine.
 13. Thedocument retention device of claim 13 wherein the first panel is furtherconfigured to retain a third document of a third media.
 14. A documentretention device configured for retaining a plurality of diversearticles, the document retention device comprising: a first panelconfigured to retain a first article; a pillow box coupled to the firstpanel, the pillow box having first and second portions coupled at ascore line, a first top flap coupled to the first portion and a secondtop flap coupled to the second portion, the first top flap engaging thesecond top flap to form a closed top of the pillow box, the pillow boxfurther having a first bottom flap coupled to the first portion and asecond bottom flap coupled to the second portion, the first bottom flapengaging the second bottom flap to form a closed bottom of the pillowbox; wherein the first portion, second portion, closed top, and closedbottom define an open interior of the pillow box which is configured toretain a second article.
 15. The document retention device of claim 14,further comprising a second panel coupled to the first panel, the firstand second panels forming a pocket configured to retain a third article.16. The document retention device of claim 15 further comprising a thirdpanel coupled to the second panel at a spine, the second panel and thethird panel defining a folder which contains the pocket and the pillowbox.
 17. The document retention device of claim 14, further comprising aplurality of panels coupled to the first panel, the plurality of panelsbeing configurable with the first panel to form a box.
 18. A documentretention device die line, configurable to form a document retentiondevice, the document retention device die line comprising: a first coverhingedly coupled at a lateral side to a lateral side of a second coverat a spine defined by at least one score line; a pocket flap coupled tothe second cover at a bottom edge of the second cover; a first sealingtab coupled to the second cover at a side opposite the spine, the firstsealing tab engageable with the pocket flap to retain the pocket flap ina configuration in which the pocket flap overlays the second cover toform a pocket; a first portion coupled to the pocket flap, the firstportion having a first top flap and a first bottom flap; a secondportion hingedly coupled to the first portion at a score line, thesecond portion having a second top flap and a second bottom flap; and asecond sealing tab coupled to the second portion, the second sealing tabengageable with the first portion to retain the first portion and thesecond portion in a configuration in which the first portion overlaysthe second portion.
 19. The document retention device blank of claim 18,wherein the first cover, the second cover, the pocket flap, the firstsealing tab, the second sealing tab, the first portion, and the secondportion are integrally formed from a single piece of material.
 20. Thedocument retention device blank of claim 19, wherein the first portionis perforatedly coupled to the pocket flap.
 21. The document retentiondevice blank wherein the blank is configured to form the documentretention device by folding the first cover and the second cover alongthe spine to form a folder, folding the pocket flap to overlay thesecond cover to form a pocket, the pocket flap being retained by thefirst sealing tab, and folding the second portion to overlay the firstportion to form a pillow box, the first portion and second portion beingretained in the pillow box configuration by the second sealing tab.